Alex Pereira Recognized as 2026 Forrest Griffin Community Award Laureate

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has announced that former two-division champion Alex Pereira will be presented with the 2026 Forrest Griffin Community Award. This prestigious accolade, named after UFC Hall of Famer Forrest Griffin, celebrates UFC athletes who demonstrate exemplary dedication to volunteer work and charitable endeavors, making a significant positive impact on their communities.

The Forrest Griffin Community Award is an integral part of the annual UFC Honors President’s Choice category. The recipient is personally chosen by UFC President and CEO Dana White. UFC Honors is the organization's yearly program designed to acknowledge outstanding performances and memorable moments by UFC athletes throughout the year.

As the 2026 award recipient, Pereira will be granted a $25,000 donation to a charity of his selection, with all contributions provided by the UFC Foundation. Furthermore, Pereira will collaborate with renowned artist Ant Kai to create and auction a unique pair of UFC-branded gloves. This initiative, part of UFC’s Gloves for Good Program, will channel the raised funds towards his foundation, The Instituto Poatan.

Pereira will be formally recognized for this honor during the 2026 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which is scheduled to take place on Thursday, July 9, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, as part of the 14th Annual UFC International Fight Week.

“Alex is one of the biggest stars in the world, and it’s inspiring to see him leverage his influence to give back to his community by supporting youth in Brazil,” stated UFC President & CEO Dana White. “Through providing free after-school tutoring, computer literacy programs, and jiu-jitsu training to over 500 local young individuals, he is directly contributing to their pursuit of better lives. It is a genuine honor to present him with this award.”

Alex Pereira established The Instituto Poatan in 2024. Following the acquisition and renovation of a facility in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the institute is dedicated to fostering social and sports-based initiatives, utilizing sports as a catalyst for personal transformation. The non-profit's aspiration is to become a leading example in promoting, expanding, and disseminating sports practices that drive social, educational, and community development.

Guided by core values of transparency, excellence, integrity, and commitment, the institute offers underprivileged youth access to free after-school tutoring, English courses, computer skills training, nutrition education, and jiu-jitsu instruction.

Since its launch, more than 500 local youths have enrolled in the institute's programs, with plans for further expansion in 2026.

Beyond his initiatives in Brazil, Pereira actively engages with local communities globally. He has visited children's hospitals, conducted jiu-jitsu workshops, and shared motivational messages with underprivileged youth, often in collaboration with fellow athletes and through UFC's youth mentoring programs.

Pereira is a seasoned mixed martial artist with 16 professional bouts to his name, holding a record of 13-3 (10-2 in the UFC) since his professional MMA debut in 2015. Prior to his MMA career, he amassed a 33-7 record in 40 professional kickboxing fights, including championship titles in the GLORY middleweight and light heavyweight divisions.